Improving Railroad Reliability and Freight Car Utilization

This paper describes how railroads have been plagued and hindered by numerous external forces such as regulation, subsidization of competitor, labor, etc. A number of policies have been used in the past that were appealing in the short run, but have proven to be harmful to the long run prospects for the industry. One such policy concerns the acquisition and use of freight cars as part of the total investment and service strategy of individual railroads. The bankruptcies of the Eastern Carriers have increased the cost of freight cars many times and it has also deteriorated service levels. At the same time, increased competition from alternative transport modes has forced the industry to recognize that the service it provides in terms of reliability has significantly deteriorated and this is an important contributor to the railroads competitive problems. These two issues, service reliability and car utilization, are in many ways linked together, and frequently changes in rail operations that improve one will also improve the other.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Forum

  P.O. Box 5074
  Fargo, ND  United States  58105
• Authors:
  • Martland, Carl D
  • Sussman, Joseph
  • Philip, Craig E
• Publication Date: 1977

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Edition: Volume XVIII, Number 1
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 123-127
• Monograph Title: Transportation in Transition. Proceedings of the Eighteenth Annual Meeting

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Competition; Freight transportation; Government funding; Operating subsidies; Policy; Policy, legislation and regulation; Railroad transportation; Subsidies; Transportation policy
• Subject Areas: Finance; Freight Transportation; Policy; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01103308
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 24 2008 7:47AM